LOS ANGELES – Burna Boy returns to the Stade de France for another historic moment, leading halftime in the first game of the NFL regular season in Paris.
The Grammy Award-winning Nigerian star will perform on Oct. 25 when the Pittsburgh Steelers face the New Orleans Saints at the Stade de France, the league announced Thursday. The performance marks the return to the stadium for Burna Boy, who last year became the first African artist to headline the Stade de France.
“Paris gave me one of the greatest nights of my career and to be back at the Stade de France for a moment like this means everything,” Burna Boy said in a statement to The Associated Press. “The NFL is bringing something to France that has never happened here before and I will be at the center of it all, representing African music and I intend to give people a show they won’t forget.”
The game in Paris is part of the NFL’s largest international season to date, played in several countries and four continents. The league is hosting a record number of halftime performances as it increasingly pairs its overseas games with major music acts.
Burna Boy joins a lineup that includes Ricky Martin and Pedro Sampaio at an NFL game in Rio de Janeiro on September 27, Ira Starr in London on October 11, Cage the Elephant in Munich on November 15 and Mexican rock trio The Warning in Mexico City on November 22. The Jonas Brothers performed earlier this month during a league game in Melbourne.
“The first NFL game in France deserves a break that befits the occasion, and there is no artist better suited to do so than Burna Boy,” said Tim Tubito, NFL senior director of global game presentation, music and entertainment.
Tubito said Burna Boy’s history at the stadium and the popularity of African music in Paris made him a natural choice for the first game.
Burna Boy, whose music draws on Afrobeats, hip-hop, reggae, R&B and other influences, won a Grammy for his 2020 album “Twice as Tall.” His catalog includes “African Giant,” “Love, Damini,” and his latest album, “No Sign of Weakness.”
He has also become one of African music’s most prominent touring artists, performing in arenas and stadiums around the world, helping to open the doors for a generation of African artists to reach increasingly global audiences.
The league played more than 60 regular season games outside the United States, with previous stops in London, Munich, Frankfurt, Madrid, Dublin, Sao Paulo, Mexico City and Toronto. France, Australia and Rio de Janeiro are among the new markets on the 2026 schedule.
Burna Boy’s halftime performance will be broadcast live in France on France Télévisions and beIN Sports.
